Badruddin Ajmal has come under fresh criticism from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ahead of the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll. Sarma said on October 2 that the AIUDF chief had aged and was no longer as politically strong as he had been earlier.
“Badruddin Ajmal has aged. He is no longer a tiger,” Sarma said, according to a report by India Today NE. He added that Ajmal had once been a strong political figure but suggested that age had reduced his ability to represent Assam in Parliament.
The remarks come days before voting in the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election. The poll is scheduled for October 6, while counting will take place on October 9. Ajmal is among the candidates contesting the seat.
Badruddin Ajmal and the Nagaon bypoll
The comments have added another exchange between Sarma and Badruddin Ajmal during an increasingly active bypoll campaign. The Assam chief minister has been campaigning for BJP candidate Debashish Sharma in Nagaon.
Congress has fielded Sibamoni Bora, while Ajmal is contesting the election for the AIUDF. The contest has therefore brought the three parties into direct competition in the constituency.
Sarma also questioned whether Ajmal still had the political strength required to raise Assam’s issues in Parliament. His remarks were directed at Ajmal’s current electoral role as the AIUDF leader seeks a return to the national legislature.
Ajmal previously represented Dhubri in the Lok Sabha for three terms. He currently serves as an AIUDF MLA from Binnakandi after winning the 2026 Assam Assembly election.
Sarma had earlier urged Badruddin Ajmal to step aside
The latest remarks follow comments Sarma made during the Nagaon campaign on September 28. At that time, he suggested that Badruddin Ajmal should move away from active electoral politics and allow younger AIUDF leaders to take greater responsibility.
Sarma said Ajmal had three sons and other party leaders who could take the organisation forward. He also said Ajmal should focus on religious activities rather than campaigning in difficult weather conditions.
Those comments drew attention because Ajmal had chosen to contest the Nagaon bypoll himself. After filing his nomination, Ajmal expressed confidence about returning to Parliament and identified education, healthcare, floods and erosion among issues he wanted to address.
Badruddin Ajmal remains in the electoral contest
Despite Sarma’s remarks, Badruddin Ajmal remains an active candidate in the Nagaon contest. His campaign has also included direct criticism of the Assam chief minister.
On September 24, Ajmal attacked Sarma while addressing an election meeting in the Dhing Assembly constituency. He referred to Sarma’s earlier remarks about the “backbone” of the Miya community and made a comment comparing their physical weights.
The exchanges have kept both leaders at the centre of the campaign narrative. However, their remarks represent competing political positions and should be viewed in the context of the ongoing election campaign.
Nagaon contest enters final phase
The Nagaon bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi left the party and subsequently won the Dispur Assembly seat in the 2026 Assam Assembly election. The resulting vacancy triggered the Lok Sabha by-election.
As campaigning enters its final phase, BJP, Congress and AIUDF are seeking support from voters across the constituency. Sarma has continued to campaign for the BJP candidate, while Ajmal is seeking to regain a seat in Parliament.
The latest exchange between Sarma and Badruddin Ajmal therefore comes at a politically significant moment. With polling only days away, statements from major campaigners are likely to remain a central feature of the contest.
The final outcome will be determined by voters when Nagaon goes to the polls on October 6. Votes will be counted three days later, on October 9.
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